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Porto Capital
The People's Republic of Porto Capital (Aro-Extreman, Ļa República deļa Şente deļo Porto Capital; Extreman, Repuublyqà dèela Şèente dèe Pòorto Qaapytál; Arosian, República Popular do Porto Capital; Sanpatrician, República Popular del Puerto Capital; Mauretanian, Jamaxiría al'Puerto Capital; Mezapatani, Porto Capital Tecorra Teta), also known simply as Porto Capital or by its abreviation PC, is the successor state of the former People's Republic of Extremo, and one of the sucessors of the Federal Republic of Brolecia and of the Empire of Mauretania. Located in the northwesternmost tip of the Melanian continent, it borders the Stervian Confederation to the south and east, and the Ordlandic enclaves of Mauré to the west and Costa da Prata to the east. Etymology The name "Porto Capital", an obsolete Arosian form for "Main Haven" or "Great Port", has its origin in the city of Porto Divino. A beach near this city was the first landing point for the Mauretanian settlers and invaders who conquered northern Melania on the first decades after The Plague. The invaders named that beach Mars al'Kebir, the Mauretanian word for "Great Port". The Arosian-speaking peoples of the region translated Mars al'Kebir as "Porto Capital" and, over the time, this term came to be adopted by the other Liliance-speaking populations of the area as an euphemism for the whole Province of Oran. During the final decades of the Empire, "Porto Capital" became the de facto name of the province. With the Peaceful Revolution, it was adopted as the name of the new People's Republic. Administration Government The government of the People's Republic of Porto Capital can be best described as a hybrid Presidentialist-Parliamentarist system. The People's Senate is the highest-level government body, capable of passing legislation, appointing the Ministers and overule any decision made by the President. There are thirty senators in total, ten for each of the three Portocapitalian states. The President is the Head of State of the nation, capable of passing legislation on his own via decrees, determining the diplomatic policies and calling for sessions of the People's Senate. In case of war, the President will also have the role of Commander-in-Chief of the Portocapitalian armed forces. In practice, however, despite being presented as the paramount head of the nation, the President is more of a figurehead, the non-voting chief of the People's Senate. He may pass legislation in his own, but, since such decisions can be declared void by the People's Senate, he has not much freedom to act without support from the senators themselves. All executive and legislative offices are direct-elected for five-year terms. Administrative Divisions (Main article: States of Porto Capital) Porto Capital is divided in three states, according to cultural and ethno-linguistic divisions: from north to south, they are Extremo, Guetaso and Bajapez. Each state is divided in a number of municipalities. In total, there are seventy municipalities, each encompassing a main city and, in most cases, a number of unincorporated towns and villages. The State Governments have full responsability for certain affairs, such as transport infraestructure, public works, educational policies and Police forces. A good part of the daily management of the country is left to the national Ministries, while the state governments are responsible to implement these decisions. The States also have their People's Councils and Governors; in general, their functions are similar to the country-level People's Senate and President. All the municipalities have their own Mayors and Councils. An obsolete division, established immediatly after the Peaceful Revolution, had Porto Capital made up of sixteen ceremonial districts, following mostly the borders of the old Brolecian counties. After a referendum handed the district of Costa da Prata to Ordland, this division was mostly abandoned. It is still used in some sporting circunstances, and by the Portocapitalian Cruisan Church for its division in bishoprics. The Foro Although political parties are allowed in the country, there is no official registry for such groups in Porto Capital. Until 306, the government's official position was that the division of the government in parties would certainly destabilize the fledgling nation. Since that year, however, the Portocapitalian government has acknowledged the role of the Foro deļa Unidad Soçialismista, or "Forum of Socialist Unity", in the promotion of socialist ideas and values in the country. The Foro, which has officially existed since early 302 (and, unnoficially, since the early days of the Peaceful Revolution, in September 301), acts as a broad front of socialist and communist parties, trade unions, student federations and factory and neighborhood committees, promoting debates, developing strategies and proposing policies to all levels of government. Although the Foro has no official role in the Portocapitalian government, several of its propositions have been adopted over the years. Also, most officials in all levels of the government are affiliated to one of the organizations of the Foro. Thus, even though the government preffers to reffer to the People's Republic as a partyless state, this arrangement in practice makes Porto Capital a one-party socialist state. Since affiliation to the Foro is not mandatory for elected officials, it is possible for independent politicians to be elected - although usually they are restricted to local posts. Thus, there are small groups of Burovianist politicians, and even smaller numbers of Nationalists (be they Mauretanians or Extremans). History (Main article: History of Porto Capital) , in Porto Capital, dated 2400 BP]] First setlled between 2900 BP and 2800 BP by the Extremans and the Mezapatani, the Portocapitalian territory was home for several early empires, such as the Maritime Alliance, the Djigarthan Empire and the Extreman Nation. Starting on the year 140BP, Angliyan colonies were founded on the western coast of Guetaso. Later, as a consequence of The Plague on the Old Continents, several thousand Liliance-speaking Longerathian colonists settled on the land, introducing their languages and faiths to the native populations. The native peoples quickly assimilated the new Longerathian customs, and an unique, multi-language Northwestern Melanian culture did not take long to appear. On 40 AP, the territory was invaded by the Mauretanians, a subdivision of the Iparalaspuqui people from southwestern Armatirion and, over the next thirty years, conquered the entire northern Melania. As the new Mauretanian Empire was being formed, it became a land of religious freedom, where all faiths could coexist peacefully. The original culture of the natives was not supressed by the Imperial authorithies, but rather incorpored Mauretanian elements. At the same time, however, Mauretania established a brutal colonial regime in neighbouring Afrazure. A series of economical and political crisis on the later half of the second century hit Mauretania severelly. On the year 298 major riots erupted on most cities of the Empire due to severe social consequences of the government's inability to deal with these crisis. Disturbed by such internal disatisfaction, the Emperor of Mauretania decided to appeal the Republic of Ordland to intervene, and establish Mauretania as an Ordlandic Protectorate. Rebels, lead by Robbie Ellies, however, managed to attain many important military victories in the so-called Mauretanian War, and a referendum was called to adequatelly divide the nation. The regions of Mauré, Joos and Nova Luxa, mostly tied to the elites, voted for the integration in the Ordlandic Protectorate. However, the other parts of the former Empire gave origin to two new independent nations: San Patricio and the Federal Republic of Brolecia. Following the referendum in former Mauretania, the Federal Republic of Brolecia was granted independece by the United Nations of Vexillium. Former rebel leader Robbie Ellies was elected president of this new republic. The People's Republic of Extremo was later formed from the northernmost part of Brolecia, as an independent Extreman homeland associated to Brolecia. In 301, however, after yet another severe economical crisis, civil unrests erupted and the government of Brolecia fell, with no means to curb them. Extremo tried to keep it's own way, but it's government also felt to the same crisis. Crime, famine, poverty rates were increasing highly and quickly. In September 301, in the city of Oran, a socialist coalition known as "The Peaceful Revolutionaries" appeared. In their manifesto, they claimed that, if order was to be restored, the Liliance-speaking corelands of the old Mauretanian Empire (the Brolecian states of Guetaso and Bajapez, plus the Republic of Extremo) would have to unite and form a new, socialist-democratic nation. Starting on september, the revolutionaries established a series of paralel governments in parts of Bajapez, Guetaso and Extremo. By the end of November, nearly 75% of the territory was controled by them. Finally, on the 28th of December, after the referendum on the city of Vermelha, the People's Republic of Porto Capital was proclaimed. Carlos Augusto de Melo, one of the revolutionary leaders, was granted the presidency of the new nation. Geography Porto Capital occupies a peninsula in the northwestern part of the continent of Melania. The country has an area of 270.000 square kilometers, making it one of the smallest independent nations of Vexillium. The country is 657km wide on its largest east-west path (from the southern tip of the border with Mauré up to Stervia) and 745km north-south (from that cape between Abybass and Vermelha all the way down south). The landscape of Porto Capital is roughly divided between the northern and northwestern grasslands and shrublands (the Extremo and d'Ouro plains), the eastern and southeastern savannahs (Oran, Southern and Batista plains) and the Bajapean rainforest to the south. The country is cut north-to-south by two main mountain ranges: the Ricas and the Bajapez Cordilleras, plus the smaller Frontera mountains by the land border with Mauré. The main rivers of the country include the Verde, the Batista and the Central. The Brolecia river crosses a 26 kilometer-long stretch of Portocapitalian territory, before entering Stervian territory again. The whole country falls in the equatorial climate zone, with wet and hot summers and dry winters. Nearly the entire territory is categorized as tropical rainforest climate (Af), except for the eastern savannahs (tropical wet and dry - Aw) and the high mountain ranges (temperate highland tropical - Cwb). Porto Capital shares land borders with Stervia to the south and east, and the enclaves of Mauré to the west and Costa da Prata to the east. File:Porto_Capital_Map_313.jpg|Official map of the People's Republic, updated in 313. File:PortoCapital_sat_1.jpg|Satellite image of Porto Capital, dated September 314. File:PortoCapital_sat_2.jpg|Satellite image with cloud cover removed. File:PortoCapital_sat_3.jpg|The same picture with city labels. National Symbols (Main article: Symbols of Porto Capital) The national symbols of Porto Capital are its flag and coat of arms. The Portocapitalian National Flag (Bandira Nazionaļ Portocapitaliana) is used on land as a civil and state flag - that is, it is flown by both the people and the government. It's ratio is of 13x9. It is made of three dark orange (RGB 204,51,0) stripes, two yellow (RGB 255,204,0) stripes, and a blue (RGB 0,0,128) triangle with a yellow line on it. The current Portocapitalian National Coat of Arms (Ļeira Nazionaļ Portocapitaliana), adopted on the 28th of December 315, is presented in two forms. A Greater Seal, the favoured form of the coat of arms, features a shield on the colours of the national flag, supported by ears of coffee, one of the main agricultural produces of the country, plus a scroll bearing the name of the country. The coat of arms is topped by a cogwheel and a red star, standing for socialism. A Lesser Seal, featuring just the national flag on a shield-like form, was used as the sole coat of arms of Porto Capital until December 315 and remains authorized for use in documents. Flag-portocapital.gif|Portocapitalian National Flag. Brasao PC.png|Greater Seal of Porto Capital. Pc-coa.gif|Lesser Seal of Porto Capital. Each color on Porto Capital's symbols has it's meaning. Dark orange stands for the people's strenght. Yellow, for the nation's natural resources. And blue, for their hope in a better future. Other symbols can be found on the article Symbols of Porto Capital. Economy (Main article: Economy of Porto Capital) Although the country has been classified in its first three years as a neoliberal economy - due to many temporary incentives to foreign investiments, among other reasons, all now withdrawn - Porto Capital nowadays follows, essentially, a controlled planned economy, with a small number of free market elements. Since the Peaceful Revolution, most heavy industries have been either nationalized or reorganized as workers' cooperatives. Agriculture is based on several collective farms. Economic development in Porto Capital is decided by the National People's Development Council, an organ made of representatives from the People's Senate, the Economy, Labour, Industry, Trade and Agriculture ministries and delegates from trade unions, worker's cooperatives and factory committees. The Portocapitalian industry is based mostly on oil, mining and chemical companies, with a small electronics and computing industry. The main products - and exports - of Porto Capital, however, are agricultural products, mainly beans, coffee, maize and tropical fruits. Smaller ammounts of iron ore, oil, steel and wood are also exported. Main imports include motor vehicles, electronic products and textiles. Notable Portocapitalian companies include PortoComm, AirPC, Petromax, Yellow Flag Lines, IngáliaNews, Corley Motors and BeloSoft. Military (Main article: Military of Porto Capital) Porto Capital's all-volunteer forces, made up of around 26 000 men and women, are under the responsability of the Ministery of Military Affairs. It is made of three branches: the Portocapitalian National People's Army (Armé Nazionaļ Popolara Portocapitaliana), the Portocapitalian National People's Navy (Marina Nazionaļ Popolara Portocapitaliana), and the Portocapitalian National People's Air Force (Seléstia Nazionaļ Popolara Portocapitaliana). Culture directed to Porto Capital's Ingallish-speaking community. Note the obsolete names for some languages.]] Portocapitalian culture is very diverse, having been influenced by Extreman, Mezapatani, Longerathian and Mauretanian elements. For a start, read the Porto Capital culture test. Languages (Main article: Languages of Porto Capital) The most widely spoken mother-tongue in Porto Capital are Extreman, with 35% of the population, followed by Arosian (31%), Sanpatrician (25%), Mauretanian (4%), Mezapatani (2%), Mixtuptecan (1%) and Stervian (1%). Local dialects and other languages (such as Ingallish, Frankish from Listonia and the McBoyo language of San Patricio) make up the remaining 1%. Most Portocapitalian, however, speak two or three languages. Overall, the most spoken languages are the Aro-Extreman dialect (59%), Extreman (56)%, Arosian (55%), Sanpatrician (47%), Mauretanian (16%), Ingallish (11%), Phenixien (6%), Mezapatani (5%), Mixtuptecan (2%) and Stervian (1%). Since mid-302, the Portocapitalian government has adopted Aro-Extreman as the nation's official language and, therefore, lingua franca. Religion Roughly 51% of the Portocapitalian citizens follow the Cruisan religion, most of them (82%) by the Free Church of Porto Capital, formerly known as the Imperial Mauretanian Church. Cruisanism was first introduced in the country with the Longerathian colonizers, shortly after the Great Plague in the Old Continents. The Church is led by The Blessed One, the Father Bishop of Oran (Ļo Sacro, ļo Patro e Bispo de Oran), Jean Pallurez. According to the Free Church, the patron saints of Porto Capital are St. John the Baptist and St. Sebastian. The three main Cruisan organizations in Vexillium - the Church of Cruisana, the Papaist Church of Lendosa and the Ulanovan Orthodox Church - also mantain affiliated organizations in Portocapitalian territory. Other 34% are Mounists, mostly all (96%) following the less conservative Mauretanian sect, a heritage from the times of the Empire. Mauretanian Mounists in Melania follow the directives of the Sheikh of Oran, Djazair al'Zoulah - altough the Caliphate, the worldwide leadership of the sect, is exercised by His Imperial Majesty, The Emperor of Mauretania. There are also small numbers of followers of the Fenizic and Sunnyah sects of Mounism. Other 7% are followers of Mezapatism, an indigenous religion, heired from the former Mezapatani civilization. Four percent are followers of other religions, such as Veldanism, Emethitism, local variations of the Sun and Moon Cult and the Fatalist religion from San Patricio. Also, some 4% are atheists. The Portocapitalian government, despite not adopting a state religion, allows freedom of beliefs to all its citizens. Every religious grouping is allowed, as long as it complies to the Laws of Religious Freedom, better known on rest of the former Mauretanian Empire as the Four Rules of God: No aggressivity against any other religion, no aggressive recruitment or proselytism, no aggression against the moral rules of the majority of belivers from all the religions and no incitation to civil disorder. Music (Main article: Music of Porto Capital) Contemporary Portocapitalian music can be said to originate by the 240ies, with Mauretanian folk music raai (itself influenced from other genres, such as classical Mauretanian music, Extreman and Guetasan folk, and jazz from Eras) giving origin to the fast and danceable escá (ska). Escá itself evolved into rocksteady and, later, rege (reggae). In the past two decades, these rhythms gave origin to eletronic-influenced dube (dub) and fast-paced regebilly. Important Portocapitalian bands and solo artists from the past and from nowadays include Mathia al'Syahu, Roberto "Bob" de Mauré, Natanael Colé, Sqaaàtaa, La Mala Educación, Radiola, Ļos Speciales, Fundación Dube, Ligaliga, Solitáriu, Sid Colorbar and Şón Libre, among many others. Sports (Main article: Sports in Porto Capital) Popular sports in Porto Capital include football and camel racing. Football is the only sport with a fully-working league system, while other sports (like basketball or rugby) only have amateur or semi-pro leagues. Category:Nations ----